As a first-generation immigrant, I have worked hard to establish myself in Calgary. I believe that my experience and determination can help rebuild the required trust in our Ward 2 communities and bring in a very positive impact.

I am one of the few candidates who have pledged not to serve for more than two terms, instill transparency in expense accounts and only use city transit to commute to the city hall.

Describe your leadership style:

I like to lead by example. I lead from the front by taking action, demonstrating what needs to be done, and keeping my team organized to make sure we are all on the same page and contributing constantly.

What do you consider the single most important issue facing Calgarians, and what should be done about it?

Economic recovery and creating jobs. Everything else revolves around it, as that gets the city the income, spending power and puts the residents in a better spot.

What are the three most important issues in your ward, and how would you address them?

Supporting small businesses, youth empowerment (38 per cent of our ward population is between the ages 14 – 26), and rebuilding trust and integrity due to the controversies by the current incumbent.

Do you support the city’s downtown revitalization strategy? Where should funding and programs be focused?

Yes, invite more businesses, convert empty spaces to residential, promote tourism and medical tourism and diversify our economy.

What innovative project or job creation measure can you propose to aid Calgary’s post-COVID economic recovery?

The top 5 industries that contribute to Calgary’s GDP are (according to Calgary Economic Development) – Accommodation & Food Services : 22% , Arts, Entertainment, Recreation: 21.6%, Construction: 9.2% Primary & Utilities: 6.8% & Transportation & Warehousing: 6.3%.

Rather than reinventing the wheel, I would try to concentrate on reviving these sectors and get more businesses investing in Calgary.

What should city council do to keep young adults from leaving Calgary?

Visit the top universities and see what stream are students enrolling in, take the info back to city hall and target those companies to invest, fund start-ups, subsidize stuff and promote them to study and work locally. This will help us in reducing brain drain!

* All candidate Q&As have been edited for clarity and brevity.

*Original article online at https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/francis-aranha-ward-2-calgary-council-candidate-questionnaire